Open Lands of Orland Park Birdhouse Contest

Open Lands of Orland Park will hold its first "green" birdhouse contest at the annual Garden Walk and Boutique and Craft Fair on Sunday, June 27 from 10 am to 3 pm.

The contest is open to all members of the community. All ages can enter as individuals or groups. There are four major divisions of the contest: Youth - twelve and under; Teens - thirteen to seventeen; Adults - eighteen and over; and Professional - artists or woodworkers who make and sell birdhouses for a living or as a hobby. There is no fee to enter the contest.

The contest was suggested by Trustee Brad O'Halloran. "I think a birdhouse contest ties in well with the Open Lands Garden Walk and we can also incorporate "green" into the birdhouses to make them environmentally safe," said O'Halloran.

Trustee Kathy Fenton, Chairperson of the Community Events and Outreach Committee and a member of the Open Lands of Orland Park Board agreed with Trustee O'Halloran and added, "The contest brings a new and exciting element to the Garden Walk and another way to involve the community in this event."

Birdhouses will be judged on the following: Overall appearance; creativity, originality, imaginative concept and its execution; exceptional use of form, texture, color, composition; Precision and craftsmanship; and whether the birdhouse is environmentally friendly and addresses such green concepts as "reduce, reuse, recycle," "sustainability," "renewable resources," "non-toxic," or "energy conservation."

All birdhouse construction and/or decoration must be done by the individual(s) entering the competition. However, those entering in the Youth Division may purchase an unfinished birdhouse from a craft store and decorate it.

Contest entry forms must be submitted no later than 5 pm on Thursday, June 24. Completed birdhouses must be delivered to the Open Lands of Orland Park Garden Walk on Sunday, June 27 between 8 am and 10 am at the Orland Park Civic Center.

Judging will take place at the Garden Walk. Winners need not be present to win. Awards will be presented to the first, second and third place winners in each division. Winners will be notified and recognized at the Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, July 6 at 7 pm.

For complete contest rules and an application, and more information about the Open Lands of Orland Park Garden Walk, please visit the Village of Orland Park website at www.orland-park.il.us or call (708) 403-6145. Contest rules and applications will also be available at any of the village buildings.